As We Lay in the Sand
by Miho Mania
Summary: AU: Sasuke never went with Orochimaru, but is still bent on avenging his brother. Sakura still has her childish dreams about Sasuke, but deep down she knows she can never have him. But a girl can dream, can’t she? ONESHOT. Contains minimal SasuSaku.


**As We Lay in the Sand**

_Minimal SakuSasu_

**Note:** I am Naruto-impaired. I haven't seen enough to have to this completely accurate, so if something vital needs to be changed, let me know and it will be revised.

EDIT: I skipped like, 456785 episodes to get to Shippuden… Uh. Sasuke's gone now, shoot. Uhm. Let's make this AU.

EDIT 2: I went back and watched the episodes I skipped to get to shippuden… man, oh man! I wanted to quit writing this altogether.

**AU: **Sasuke never went with Orochimaru, but is still bent on avenging his brother. Sakura still has her childish dreams about Sasuke, but deep down she knows she can never have him. But a girl can dream, can't she?

-

There wasn't a day she didn't think about him. There wasn't a moment she didn't worry about making herself look bad in front of him. But no matter what she seemed to do, impressive or mortifying, he didn't seem to take a second glance in her direction at all.

Sakura blinked at her reflection in the small mirror above her sink. There wasn't much to see. Inquiring green eyes and pale pink hair stared back at the kunoichi. Scrutinizing a strand of her limp locks, Sakura sighed. "What's wrong with me?" She leaned over her sink to study her face more, but a disruptive beep jerked her face away from the mirror.

"Lord, Kakashi-sensei is beginning to rub off on me…" Glancing at her pink watch, she realized she was late to her next mission. She grabbed her shuriken holster and dashed out of her apartment door.

The young girl tried to bring back Tsunade's words in her head. "_You are to head out into Suna…." _

"_Report back to Konoha as soon as you find…"_

"_Another shinobi will accompany you_…"

_This can't be good; I can't even remember the mission anymore, dammit! Or who else was supposed to come with me, for that matter. I guess I'll just have to ask Tsunade-shishou again,_ Sakura thought mindlessly. _Maybe I'll see Sasuke._

Stopping by the entrance gates, Sakura glanced at her watch. "9:33," she mumbled aloud. "I'm only a couple minutes late."

"Ninja are expected to be punctual, no matter what the excuse," an all-to familiar voice spoke from behind. Sakura froze and whipped her body in the other direction.

"Oh, Sa-Sasuke!" squeaked Sakura, in a meek voice. He nodded nonchalantly. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been assigned to the mission to Suna, same as you." He flicked a strand of his dark hair from his eyes. "The Godaime said for us to leave when you got here, so now we're off."

Sakura couldn't help but feel this mission wasn't anything but C-rank or even B at best. There was such an ease to it that she felt almost disappointed in the lack of urgency associated with their going to Suna.

The kunoichi watched Sasuke a little ways behind him. "He's so cool and collected; how can he stay so serious, too?" Sakura sighed. "There's no way he could he fall for some plain-Jane girl like me."

It was a while and several breaks later before Sakura and Sasuke had even reached the sand part of the country. Sasuke seemed a bit too irritated for Sakura's liking. Every time she had tried to start a light-hearted conversation the Uchiha would merely grunt, cutting Sakura's sentence short.

She frowned, and rubbed the back of her leg. It was still a bit sore from earlier spars with Naruto and Rock Lee, a day or two before the mission.

Sakura sighed. If only she could fall for Naruto, her life could have been much easier. She wouldn't have had to put much effort into Naruto's liking, seeing as he was already quite infatuated with her himself. But the he only came off as a good friend, one that would treat her to dinner on a regular basis.

And of course, Sakura would always fall for the stubborn ones.

She began to wonder what she even saw in Sasuke. He was cute, yes, as well as strong and intelligent; however he was also harsh, cold and he could be ever so cruel. After all, there were more polite ways to reject a sensitive girl.

The ache in her upper thigh was beginning to become rather troublesome. "Sasuke, can we stop for a bit?"

The boy scoffed, muttering something about the 'fiftieth time they've rested in 4-hour span' but agreed anyway. Sakura settled herself down, letting the sand slip over the top of her sandals. She sipped some water from her canteen and observed the Uchiha carefully.

Sasuke closed his eyes and tilted his head back. The sun seemed to shine on him in the most intriguing way. Sakura couldn't help but ogle in awe at the Uchiha.

"What are _you_ staring at?"

Sakura jumped, having not noticed Sasuke opening his eyes to find his accomplice peering at him. "Oh, um, nothing much. There's something on your nose. I was, uh, just wondering what it was." Sakura hastily brought her gaze down to her lap as Sasuke fumbled around to brush his nose with his finger.

Her leg's ache was beginning to worsen, but Sakura didn't want to waste her chakra on healing something as petty as a sore muscle. Even so, she knew that the journey into Suna would take a bit longer than it would have.

Sasuke nodded his head toward Sakura. "Are you ready now?"

The kunoichi seethed noiselessly, bitter about how Sasuke made everything seem that they were lagging because of her…

…even though they were.

Sakura nodded in return and stood up. The throbbing became more apparent as she walked. It seemed like it had been hours since their last stop, although in reality it had been barely even one.

The duo moved in uneasy silence towards the village. Sakura desperately wanted to start a conversation, or say something witty in the least. But her partner kept on ahead.

Finally, when the kunoichi couldn't possibly bear the silence any longer, Sasuke spoke. "We need to pick up the pace. The Suna villagers are going to wonder why we aren't there yet."

Without waiting for a response, the Uchiha dashed on ahead. Sakura groaned. She decided that she would just have to heal her leg to prevent her further trouble. As they ran, Sakura bent down and molded healing chakra in her palm. The procedure took up so much of her concentration that she failed to notice a small pothole ahead in the sand.

With a sharp cry Sakura tumbled to the gritty ground once again. "Kuso!" she hissed. Taking the time to mold chakra once more, she finished healing her leg.

"You fell." Sasuke towered over her.

"Yeah, I noticed." Sakura tried to glare at him, but instead drove her attention back on her leg.

"You _fell._" There was a hint of a smile on Sasuke's face.

_Oh, yeah. You notice me when I do something stupid, and that's only when I'm the only other person around, S_akura sulked silently. She shrugged, and poked her ankle. "Ow," she said bluntly. _Chekuso! Just when I heal my sores I twist my ankle._

Sasuke sat down about three feet away from her and draped his arms over his knees. "I guess we're gonna be here for a while-"

"Why don't you like me?!"

There was a long pause, and Sakura ducked her head in humiliation and shock. She hadn't meant to blurt out her honest feelings so suddenly. In fact, she hadn't meant to do so at all.

When she finally got the courage to lift her head up, she saw a small quirk-of-the-eyebrow on Sasuke's face.

"Sakura."

She looked at the Uchiha inquiringly. This was the most response she had managed to get from Sasuke during the entire duration of the trip.

"Sakura," Sasuke repeated, "You, of all people, should know about me. Or more importantly, my purpose. I don't have time to like anyone; nor love, for that matter. You know that I'm an avenger."

The kunoichi brought her gaze back down. She was almost ashamed for asking; especially knowing that Sasuke was probably right.

"Even if I wanted to pursue someone romantically, it would only end up as trouble and a nuisance. There would be several instances when my life would be put on the line while I'm trying to find _him_, and if a lover or someone of the like tried to get in the way…" Sasuke shrugged. "Do you understand?"

Sakura nodded, albeit hesitantly. Hearing this coming from Sasuke, whom she adored, made her admire him all the more.

Finishing up again on her ankle, she stood up. She looked at him with a more serious manifestation. "Let's go."

Her accomplice nodded and stood up as well. This time, Sakura lead the two.

She knew very well Sasuke had his own battles to fight. It was a shame; he would have made for a good husband. That is, if Sakura felt she could handle one. But trying to put on a superficial façade for him was also becoming too much for her. It made her feel rather pathetic knowing that she wouldn't have stopped such childish yearnings either, if Sasuke hadn't opened her eyes a bit wider.

Perhaps for now, Sakura could suffice with remaining as associates with the boy she had affections for. In time, Sasuke would come around. It was all in time.

After all, a girl has to keep dreaming in order to have _something_ to look forward to.


End file.
